Lulu Alpert
by Delia Lavender
Summary: Published initially as "The Courtship of Lulu" this story was withdrawn, "Lost" on my computer and found again. Here it is, a bit improved. It goes back to the hiatus after Season 4. Locke has become Leader, but spirited Lulu Alpert refuses to become his consort. Can she defy Cousin Richard? Is there any escape for her? Rated T for language and situation. Evil Richard and Locke.


**LULU ALPERT**

By Delia Lavender

 _I do not own the television series Lost, nor any of it's characters._

 _I only write for my own amusement, not for profit._

 _Note: this story was originally titled: "The Courtship of Lulu". I withdrew it some time ago and it literally became "lost" on my computer. The action_

 _takes places during the hiatus between seasons 4 and 5, when Locke_

 _became "Island Leader" after Ben left. I had no idea what_

 _was going to happen, so I wrote my own version of "lost mythology" ._

 _Here it is again, "Lulu Alpert" somewhat improved._

It was unsettling: she sought her own face in the mirror, but it was Richard's that looked back. The dominance of Alpert genes. Still, Lulu knew she'd been lucky. She had the Alpert high forehead, a feminine version of the Alpert nose and the deep-set, naturally-lined Alpert eyes. But, unlike her cousin, her eyes were large, her lips full and her jaw better shaped. She also had nicely arched eyebrows.

"A more than adequate face for a woman" - Richard had always said that. Once, when she'd been growing up, he'd grabbed her chin, looked deep into her eyes, and pronounced judgment: "Beautiful. Not much going on inside, but who cares? In your case, Lucilla, the form fits the function. You'll do very well." then he had left the bungalow, slamming the screen door behind him.

She hadn't understood what he meant, until later.

Lulu accepted her cousin's evasiveness. It was a natural part of her life, along with secrets and a bewildering absence of family history. She did not know her own birth date, or Richard's. She knew nothing about her parents. Sometimes, when he wanted to tease her, Richard referred to her as "Lulu...my pretty little lab project."

And today, Cousin Richard was giving her away.

She knew it was supposed to happen this way. There was a cryptic mention in the Prophecies. And of course, there was tradition.

Not that Lulu hadn't done her best to avoid it...

She'd known what was happening the day Richard had presented her to the new Island Leader.

"Ah...there's Lucilla. Lulu, come here! Lulu is my distant cousin, John. She's the one who gathers our fruit for us. Lulu, offer John your best...he's the man we've been waiting for."

That was how Lulu had gotten her first look at John Locke, the Chosen One. He was older than she'd expected, but that didn't bother her. She didn't mind that he was bald. As she reluctantly crossed the clearing, carrying her basket of fruit, she immediately noticed his air of authority – he already had a vital, vigorous belief in himself, his destiny and his ability to lead. The Children of Jacob were transfixed by him. He was already the group focal point, just as she'd imagined he'd be. The Children, after all, had been waiting a very long time...

But something about him _did_ bother her: it was how his expression changed, the moment Richard pointed her out. His smile, so charming, so reassuring, hardened into an aggressive grin. The twinkle in his eye became a hungry, heated glare. Lulu had the feeling that, just by existing, she'd somehow committed a crime.

She glanced down quickly, wondering if her shirt had come undone...but no, most of her buttons were still fastened. What about her shorts...were they too tight? Maybe he hated long, wild hair...

As Lulu approached, Richard and the others grew silent. There was an air of anticipation she didn't understand. Despite a feeling of growing anxiety, Lulu tried to be polite. She gave John first pick of the fruit, extending her basket graciously toward him.

Fortunately, John had quickly regained his composure "Well, Lulu," he said, smiling up at her "So you're the 'gatherer'? I've never seen such beautiful fruit." His hand hovered indecisively over her basket, then reached for a mango close to her breast...

She shifted her basket quickly, grabbed the mango with her free hand and shoved it at him.

She heard Richard apologizing for her as she hurried away "Lulu is extremely shy, John. Don't take offense...she doesn't mean to be rude."

She'd tossed her basket to Cindy and fled the clearing, seeking shelter among the trees.

But if Lulu was the gatherer, John Locke was the hunter.

He started prowling through the orchards, although he didn't belong there. She noticed he looked haggard, as if he didn't sleep enough.

She hid herself within the deepest recesses of the trees. She was light and could climb higher than anyone else. She spent most of her time perched on precarious branches, far beyond John's reach.

"Lulu...Lulu, I know you're here! I know you can hear me! I need to talk to you..."

She'd lie there, shielded by leaves, ignoring him.

She knew she couldn't evade him forever. Certainly Richard told her that. But, to Lulu, there was a principle at stake.

She didn't want to belong to the Leader. No matter how well-meaning he was. No matter how benign. Her memories of Ben were all too fresh...

Ben had been the previous Leader. He had been powerful and, for a while, very kind.

Lulu had been friends with Alex, Ben's daughter. Ben was welcoming and cordial, so his house had become a sort of second home to her. She had spent much time there with Alex, playing board games or just talking.

But things had changed, when Lulu and Alex discovered boys. For Lulu, it had been Ronan, for Alex it was Karl.

It was during this time that Richard and Ben had abruptly changed. They were no longer benevolent guardians, but restrictive tyrants. They behaved as if the boys, long familiar to them, had suddenly become threats.

Ben didn't trust Karl, and Richard told Lulu that she didn't belong with Ronan.

Lulu would never forget it.

Ben had much power, and he had Richard's assistance and advice. He sent Ronan on a mission to the mainland, even though his training was far from complete. He'd known very well what would happen. Ronan was killed by Ben's enemy, Charles Widmore. The event had even been filmed. He had accomplished two goals at once...he had deprived Lulu of Ronan while warning Karl away from Alex.

And it worked – for a while.

Alex had learned to hate her father. But Lulu, shocked, could only grieve. Was _this_ what power did to a man?

Alex and Karl were killed later in the Freighter War, so Lulu had grieved for them, too.

But she grieved most for Ronan.

Her friend Juliet understood her. Juliet had also lost a lover due to Ben's jealousy. She helped keep Lulu informed about John.

"He spends a lot of time helping the salvage crew," Juliet told

Lulu. Juliet visited her often, whenever she could slip unseen past the work crews. "They found a double-bed in good condition in one of the damaged houses. John sent Ben's old hospital bed to the dispensary and commandeered the double-bed for himself. It has a wrought-iron headboard so, unless you want to be chained to it, I'd suggest you stay hidden in the trees...at least for a while. Cindy Chandler, who was flight attendant on flight 815, really wants him - and I'd say she has a chance. Especially since John is trying to unify the 815 Survivors and the Children of Jacob. Once he succeeds, the pool of available women will expand. So hang in there, Lulu. Surely _someone_ will manage to distract him."

At least, Lulu hoped so.

But Lulu always had her filthy Cousin Richard to contend with. He always did his sneaky best to undermine her efforts.

Only Richard could have told John about the lily pond – and exactly when she liked to swim there.

"LULU!"

"What...! Oh, shit...who's there? Go away!"

"It's John, Lulu. Don't be afraid."

She submerged herself, surfacing again among the lily pads, which at least preserved her modesty. Lulu didn't own a bathing suit.

"Come, Lulu...I understand this is a difficult time for you. I know you lost friends to the Survivors and the Freighters. We all have. I even know about that boy, Ronan, who Widmore killed."

Lulu looked toward the bank. John was standing at the water's edge, his eyes fixed on the lilies concealing her. She wondered how much he'd seen. Probably not much – the pond was pretty opaque, and she'd been treading water when he'd crept up on her.

"Lulu, I'm your Leader. Hear me out or I'm coming in after you!" His face, with it's implacable expression and stern eyes, disappeared for a moment as he lifted his shirt.

"Oh, stay where you are! I'll listen...just talk and be done with it!"

He had a small grim smile as he dropped his shirt "As I was saying, I know you've had a difficult time. I can sympathize with your..."

"...Really? How would you like a man with a hard-on chasing _you?"_

Lulu had expected an angry retort but, much to her surprise, John merely chuckled.

"I don't think it likely, in any case. But, since you bring it up, I admit I've a powerful lust for you. It's different – more urgent – than any other I've experienced. I've tried to ignore it, but I can't anymore. I have trouble eating and sleeping...it's beginning to affect my ability to lead."

None of this was especially encouraging to Lulu.

"There's other women, Mr. Locke. Cindy, I hear, would be more than happy to..."

"...No. It has to be you."

"Well, if not Cindy, how about Richard?" she suggested maliciously "He looks a lot like me...why don't you take _him_ to bed? I'll bet he'd really enjoy it..."

"...So will you, Lulu. But, although I appreciate Cousin Richard, he does lack certain...anatomical features I find appealing."

She didn't want this jackass to see her cry. She ducked further down among the lilies "I hate Richard, I hate you, Jacob _and this Island!"_ she shrieked.

This time, she really **had** made him angry. She saw John's face turn to granite. His expression grew cold and flinty. His jaw twitched slightly.

"You can hate me and Richard all you want, Lulu, but don't hate the Island or Jacob. Now stop this nonsense. You'll accept your destiny and the role assigned you. The Island is already displeased – six people have escaped it. There's going to be trouble until they return. _You,_ Lulu, are not going to add to that trouble."

Lulu knew she was defeated, but her resentment made her reckless "All right...since my 'role' involves screwing you, I'll just swim over, crawl up the bank and we'll get my...my...' _destiny'_ over with. Did you bring a blanket?" She matched her actions to her words, swimming clear of the lilies and facing John from the middle of the pond.

His face softened a little. A light flickered deep within John's pale eyes "Lulu, I wish I could accept your offer – but you already know the importance of honoring tradition. On Saturday your cousin will bring you to me. I will give you a ring and take you into my house. Richard has everything planned."

"Sure he has," she said. She could feel her eyes growing wet. "Did he tell you the rest? That it's only temporary? You can release me the next day..."

"...Yes, he told me, Lulu. The arrangement can last one day, a decade, or it can be permanent. But I'm the Chosen One, so it's for _me_ to decide." John hesitated. He shook his head slowly, pity flashing briefly across his face "I can't promise you anything, Lulu. I don't know how long I'll need you. But I swear – I'll do everything I can to make it easy for you. I have Amelia standing by. After I say the ritual words, she'll come with a towel and help you out of the water. You will stay with her until the ceremony...she's going to brew you some of her special tea. Now listen..."

"No...don't say the words!"

"Daughter of the Island..." John gravely recited.

"...Don't...please!..."

"...The Chosen One favors you..."

"...Go away! Leave me alone!..."

"...Come forth and receive his love."

She heard her own wail of protest as the mental fetters of her conditioning clamped shut, trapping her.

She'd just had some tea. Amelia must have saved the strongest for last, because she felt very calm and the voices surrounding her seemed far away:

" _...Only four goats? It's a meager bride price..."_

" _...It's enough – we've observed tradition. These are hard times..."_

" _Amelia, she's had enough tea. Her eyes are beginning to cross..."_

" _I was the one who helped her out of the water, Richard, and I watched the Leader's face. Believe me, her eyes are the **last** thing he's going to notice..."_

" _...Obscene and barbaric, Harper. I can't believe it! Even Ben didn't try this..."_

" _...He couldn't. You weren't Island born, Juliet. And you don't understand the importance of..."_

" _...Awaiting the Chosen One, for all these years...but now she doesn't want him?..."_

" _...She will. She's an Alpert. It's in her blood...it's her heritage..."_

" _Lulu? Can you hear me, dear? It's Amelia. It's almost time. Walk a few steps for me...good...good. Just lean on Richard_

 _if you get dizzy. You've had plenty of tea, so you won't feel much. Don't worry, dear – he's an older man - he'll tire easily. Just sleep and let **him** do the work. Soon he'll get bored and release you."_

" _...And John can be...ingratiating and persuasive. He'll begin wooing her..."_

" _...There's bars on the bedroom windows. And new locks. I can't believe I joked about chains on the headboard. I didn't know..."_

" _...Sometimes work out. She needs his strength and he needs her to legitimize his rank as Chosen One. She's the Island's Benediction, after all. Ben was only a surrogate leader - that's why Lulu was never given to him..."_

" _...But she has no choice at all...and those bars..."_

 _The bars are just temporary...to keep her safe until she accepts her position. She's been unstable ever since..."_

" _Take my arm, Lulu – it's time for the procession. You look very beautiful. I thought Amelia was wrong, to put you in a red dress, but now I see that it's appropriate...especially since this custom is so rarely invoked. Red for passion: John will be beside himself! And that slit up the side...words fail me. Careful darling, try not to totter...you're swaying on your heels...slowly, dear, slowly. Lean on me and try to move gracefully..."_

So Lulu, wearing a dark red tango dress, leaning against Cousin Richard, was led down the main street of the compound. She was followed closely by the other Children of Jacob, most of them wearing their ritual white and carrying food or flowers. Here and there a curious 815 Survivor watched from a distance.

She saw her bridegroom on his front porch, waiting for her. He looked strange in a suit. For a moment, dread quivered in her stomach – she had suddenly envisioned a corpse. But then he smiled and she forgot about it.

"Chosen One...will you accept this virgin as your own?" asked Richard, leading Lulu to the porch step.

"I will accept this virgin and make her my own." replied John. He held the ring out as an offering.

Lulu's hand trembled as she extended it. She watched, in detached curiosity, as John put the ring on her finger. The wide silver ring had the name "John" deeply engraved into its surface.

And that was all. Lulu heard a cheer from the crowd as John lifted her up into his arms. Her head lolled against his shoulder.

"Ronan..." she whimpered, just before passing out.

Richard remained as the crowd left their offerings, then dispersed. In the old days, the feasting and celebration would have lasted several days. But circumstances were much different, now.

A young boy, Zack, untethered the goats and led them to Richard. Richard thanked him and took the leads. Slowly he led the bleating animals back through the compound, to his own house.

Lulu would be all right. She would conquer her sense of loss and take her place beside the Chosen One. She would finally accept her destined role...

And the Island would be well pleased.

The End


End file.
